Precious materials for normally wooden weapons


Rules Discussion

Scarab Sages

I was hoping to switch out my PFS character's bo staff to one that is cold iron. Is there any reason why a weapon normally made of wood couldn't be made of cold iron/silver/mithril etc?

The flavor text of the bo-staff has no mention of wood: This strong but slender staff is tapered at the ends and well balanced. It’s designed to be an offensive and defensive weapon.

A normal staff does: This long piece of wood can aid in walking and deliver a mighty blow.

I understand in a home game that it would likely be allowed, but is there any RAW reason this wouldn't be possible?

Shadow Lodge

If you make a staff out of metal, it becomes a much heavier and very different weapon: If you made a Club out of metal (even just the head), it would be a Mace.

So, I wouldn't expect this to be allowed, even in a home game...


Nothing in the Weapon Description of the Bo Staff says that it is made of wood. Real world Bo Staves are often made of metal.

A metal Club is a Bat.

Scarab Sages

I did find precedent for a metal staff in 2e - the Staff of Transmutation.

The staff, club, and greatclub all reference wood in their descriptions. The bo staff does not. I suppose spending 48GP with the caveat some GMs may not allow it probably isn't the worst thing in the world.


Pathfinder Rulebook Subscriber
Taja the Barbarian wrote:
If you made a Club out of metal (even just the head), it would be a Mace.

Not really, the defining feature of a mace is the distinct head designed for bludgeoning, while many traditional clubs have no head at all. So a metal club and a mace would still be distinct (ignoring, for a moment, that a mace is just a type of club to begin with).


Well, a Bo made from Metal would certainly explain why it's a strength based weapon

I can't say it for sure but I think it is safe to say that bo were mostly made out of wood and sometimes reinforced with metal (rather then straightout made out of metal) but it's certainly possible (although, because metal vibrates if hit hard enough and a 6ft. metal pole is probably heavy af you are surely better off using wood)


Even though mechanically one should charge as much as any other weapon of special material, the otherwise-wooden weapon may simply be reinforced by said material. Assuming the point is more to Strike w/ Cold Iron than have an iron shaft.
(At least until the weapon itself gets damaged!)

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